I’m happy to get backlinks where I can but funneling traffic is where it’s at. I’m using Blogger, WordPress and Hubpages to pretty good effect for that. And yea, I use other social communities to drive traffic as well. It’s a good plan.

The problem is that most article marketers think of syndication in the most straight line focus as they can. They think that syndication is simply for article directories.

In reality, the better option when it comes to article syndication is to attack syndicated sites with communities attached to them and then let THAT ball roll.

Plus there are closed communities like BetterNetworker and choosy communities like SocialMediaToday which can get you a great backlink and a community that doesn’t mind passing it around. That means more mileage for your effort.

As far as article directories are concerned, you are right….very few article directories are worth expending the effort for the paltry backlink that they give.

Hell, if ezinearticles was only good for a backlink, I probably wouldn’t bother. The fact that they rank for long tail keywords so easily and can funnel traffic is the only reason I use them these days.

I installed a WordPress keyword matched domain – nothing beyond Hello World – forgot about it for a week and then discovered it was on page two of Google…

Oh, and I know of at least one site which ranks highly for a competitive term purely through the use of crappy directories. I’m tempted to create a subdomain or new domain to see if I can follow this particular crappy site’s link footprint and then follow up with a few good links.

Google is still seriously rewarding single-topic focus and matching domain name over many other factors. So crap can still get to the top.

“I can tell you that I would rather have a single outstanding authority site link to my site naturally than all the backlinks I could collect from all the article directory and blog distribution centers put together.”

I hear ya. If you google “forgive all ebay sins” you will find that this particular pile of manure that I have fertilized the web with, has not done much in terms of “growing” my PR, or traffic..

Even though the article has been picked up by a variety of websites, I don’t think one web page where the article resides, has any substantial link juice or authority.

So, to your point about getting some authority site love, please to enjoy..

How to Get Featured on the New York Times, CNN, CNET and Newsweek..

http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/10/05/how-to-get-featured-in-the-new-york-times-cnn-cnet-and-newsweek/

It is by Kim Roach. You may know all of these
methods already, but if not, then I hope you get something out of it. I know I did..

You would need to write some great content, but you got the skills to pay the bills – lol.

Coming up with one, or maybe two good stellar articles, including the link of choice, some anchor text, could be one way to get the authority link you seek.

Just sayin..

Robert C – The Wholesale Products Guy